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The Nickel Boys
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
In this bravura follow-up to the Pulitzer Prize, and National Book Award-winning #1 New York Times bestseller The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead brilliantly dramatizes another strand of American history through the story of two boys sentenced to a hellish reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida. As the Civil Rights movement begins to reach the black enclave of Frenchtown in segregated Tallahassee, Elwood Curtis takes the words of Dr. Martin Luther King to heart: He is "as good as anyone." Abandoned by his parents, but kept on the straight and narrow by his grandmother, Elwood is about to enroll in the local black college. But for a black boy in the Jim Crow South of the early 1960s, one innocent mistake is enough to destroy the future. Elwood is sentenced to a juvenile reformatory called the Nickel Academy, whose mission statement says it provides "physical, intellectual and moral training" so the delinquent boys in their charge can become "honorable and honest men." In reality, the Nickel Academy is a grotesque chamber of horrors where the sadistic staff beats and sexually abuses the students, corrupt officials and locals steal food and supplies, and any boy who resists is likely to disappear "out back." Stunned to find himself in such a vicious environment, Elwood tries to hold onto Dr. King's ringing assertion "Throw us in jail and we will still love you." His friend Turner thinks Elwood is worse than naive, that the world is crooked, and that the only way to survive is to scheme and avoid trouble. The tension between Elwood's ideals and Turner's skepticism leads to a decision whose repercussions will echo down the decades. Formed in the crucible of the evils Jim Crow wrought, the boys' fates will be determined by what they endured at the Nickel Academy. Based on the real story of a reform school in Florida that operated for one hundred and eleven years and warped the lives of thousands of children, The Nickel Boys is a devastating, driven narrative that showcases a great American novelist writing at the height of his powers.
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DimeryRene
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Brutal.

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KAO
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

Extraordinary! This one is going to be on my mind and heart for some time. A brilliantly written, heart-wrenching story.

18 likes1 stack add
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KAO
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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1️⃣ I have lots of favorite female characters, but today I choose Jo in Little Women.

2️⃣ Today I choose Jean Valjean in Les Misérables.

3️⃣ I just started The Nickel Boys. I expect it will be sad, but I love Colson Whitehead‘s writing.

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Murphytall
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
Pickpick

This book is very well written (hence the Pulitzer Prize winner in 2020) but it also hits on some very powerful topics. This is a quick read, with great character development and a surprising ending. Happy reading!

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Donna1980
Nickel Boys | Colson Whitehead
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It‘s taken me a while to build up the courage to read another novel by Colson Whitehead. The Underground Railway still haunts me a little but I‘m so glad I have. The content is still brutal but the writing is poetry.

12 likes1 stack add
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Esin
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Momentous

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Firestarter994
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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In order from left to right my August #roll100 books! # 4 - The Nickel Boys, # 34 - Love and Ruin and # 66 - All the King‘s Men

Thanks @PuddleJumper !!! Sorry I‘m late posting this

PuddleJumper Looks great! 7mo
9 likes1 comment
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RedCurly
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Bailedbailed

I don't know. I am not in a mood for thos book right. It is not bad at all. Just not now...

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Eggs
Nickel Boys | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

Based on real events, this narrative takes on a bitter portion of American history through the story of two boys unjustly sentenced to a hellish reform school in 1960s Florida. Tough to read and so sad 😞 😢

#Incarceration #MayMontage

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

CatMS On my TBR, and may be my choice for bookclub pick when it is my turn. 10mo
Eggs @CatMS This would make for great discussion at book club. 10mo
89 likes5 stack adds2 comments
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Creadnorthey
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

The brutality of this story should not be underrated. There are some very descriptive scenes but the writing is so good. A level up from Underground Railroad for me.

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Mandoul
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

Not sure why I took so long to read this, but I'm glad that I did. Such a compact yet powerful and engaging story. Already on my to be re-read list.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Itchyfeetreader This is sitting on my to be read cart 12mo
Mandoul It was sitting on mine for ages @Itchyfeetreader . Look forward to hearing what you think of it. 12mo
41 likes2 comments
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magyklyXdelish
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

Very powerful and moving. Its absolutely heartbreaking what the kids at that school went through.

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ChaoticMissAdventures
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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#BlackHistoryMonth Day 26 Recommendation fiction
I was half way into this when I learned it was based off true events. Impeccably written and while the story is accounts of horrible abuse and murders of school leaders in an all Black boarding school, the storyis not particularly gory on the page.
What happens when you survive an environment that is determined to not let you? How does that make you as an adult?

SamAnne I loved this book. I loved that not one word was wasted. Short book that packs a punch. 13mo
ChaoticMissAdventures @SamAnne yes! My favorite kinds of books. I also loved the twists and turns that all felt natural. 13mo
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steph_phanie
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A powerful and moving novel about Elwood Curtis, a young black boy who gets sent to a horrific reform school for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He befriends another boy at the school, and does his best to "earn" his way out before the length of his sentence is up. But Elwood's belief that good must prevail outside school grounds leads him to act boldly - and forever alters their future. Based on a real school in Florida.

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Andrew65
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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#MLKDay #JanuaryJazz

59 long years and we are still waiting for Martin‘s Dream to come to fruition. The seminal speech of the 21st Century, but it feels at the moment as if this dream is moving further away than ever with so many right winged governments around the world. We must fight on!

This is the link for the speech which I often watch. https://youtu.be/smEqnnklfYs

@Eggs @AlwaysBeenALoverOfBooks

CBee YES 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 14mo
Andrew65 I was going to tag Dear Martin by Nic Stone, but notice @Eggs already tagged that today. If you haven‘t read Dear Martin I urge you to read that book. Also everyone should also read the tagged book which for me left me reeling on so many fronts. Both these books address why we need to fight racism in every form! (edited) 14mo
Eggs Well done 👏🏻 14mo
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MrsV
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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It so heartbreaking to read what it was like in this country not too long before I was born. 5 ⭐️

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xicanti
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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My afternoon plans include some Yona, a Barking Squirrel Amber Lager from Hopcity Brewing Co, and my first official #AuldLangSpine title! (Full disclosure: I cheated and read one at the end of 2022. More on that later.) I‘m excited to dive in. I‘ve only read one Whitehead previous to this, but I deeply respect his commitment to privileging the truth far ahead of the reader‘s comfort.

monalyisha Looks relaxing! 1y
Blerdgal_Fenix Great book 1y
MeganAnn Looks like an excellent way to spend the afternoon! 1y
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TheRiehlDeal
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

A low pick for me.

I didn‘t read the synopsis, so I didn‘t know what this was about going in, but after doing some research, it makes me mad that this is what black people suffered through during the Jim Crow Era.

I commend Whitehead for tackling an important topic in American history. But I do have one gripe about this book and the use of the n word. It was a little off putting for me.

2.75 ⭐️
11/12/22

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jenniferw88
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks In my shelf!! 2y
47 likes1 comment
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mollyrotondo
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was a reread for me. I liked it even better the second time. I was so focused on the atrocities of the school when I first read this one. But this time I was able to pick up on all the other important points Whitehead was making. Definitely recommend multiple readings of this one.

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behudd
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫I‘ve purposefully avoided this book since it came out because of the difficulty of the subject matter & my general avoidance of “heavy” fiction, but Whitehead manages to write of brutality without his writing becoming brutal.
The fact that it‘s real, recent history is hard to take in, and I‘m grateful there are authors like Whitehead who do the difficult work of wading through that history & telling us these stories.

behudd @TheAromaofBooks this was my May #bookspin book 2y
britt_brooke Such an incredible read! 2y
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!!! 2y
39 likes3 comments
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Oryx
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Perfect condition copy of this book from charity shop for only £2. Could not resist. Litsy reviews suggest it's a hard read in terms of subject matter, but excellent.

Karons1 Agree it is a harrowing 😫 read and sadly true should be photos of the real boys home at the back of the book and I Googled the real story , hundreds of bodies found when it was closed down for good ,anyway enjoy we need to read the hard stuff sometimes . 2y
squirrelbrain Bargain! I much preferred it to The Underground Railroad, although it is a tough read. 2y
Oryx @Karons1 yes, necessary reading sadly. 2y
charl08 Wonderful book: and what a bargain! 2y
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CindyMyLifeIsLit
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

Set in a school for juvenile offenders during the 1960s, the story relates the horrendous abuse suffered by the students of color. The protagonist is an intelligent, straight-arrow kid who winds up there out of sheer bad luck. He clings to MLK‘s words for comfort and strength but soon learns that the admin of the school do not share MLK‘s vision.

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behudd
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Even in death the boys were trouble.

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

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SanjanaGhosh
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

Oh the ending!!

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keepingupwiththepenguins
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

Whew! Whitehead is monstrously talented. I knew it all along, and yet reading The Nickel Boys was still a shock. He knows just when to pull your eyes away from a scene, to avoid reveling in the horror, which somehow makes it more impactful. Full review: https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/the-nickel-boys-colson-whitehead/

54 likes1 stack add
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DcSunshine
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
Mehso-so

It‘s got it‘s surprises along the way, but it was both a time and emotional investment into characters that didn‘t prove to be worth it in the end

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BookwormM
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Not a book you would describe as enjoyable but it is an important story with sympathetic characters and a hopeful ending.

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MeganAnn
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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@JackOBotts I‘m so glad you had this on your #nywd22 list! This is a book I‘ve wanted to read, but also felt very intimidated by because of the hard subject matter and content warnings.

Yes, everything that happened to these boys is heartbreaking, but Whitehead handles in the most brilliant way. Allowing the reader to feel for the boys without wallowing in the sadness. To be in the story but not be so weighed down by it like others I‘ve read… ⬇️

MeganAnn And I did not see that twist coming! In fact, part of what allows the reader to keep going is also what makes the twist so brilliant. With this, I definitely look forward to reading The Underground Railroad which I‘ve also put off for similar reasons. 4.75⭐️ 2y
JackOBotts I‘m glad you enjoyed this, too. This was a moving, gripping novel, inspired by real life horrors at the boys schools. From my #NYWD21 list from @dariazeoli 💜 2y
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sprainedbrain
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

I finished my first #NYWD22 book from the list of @Amandajoy and I‘m going to need a minute. 😢

This book has been on my tbr since it came out, and I just love the way Colson Whitehead writes. A work of fiction that is strongly based in the real-life horror that was the Dozier ‘school‘ for boys, this book took me right through every emotion and broke my heart.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Amandajoy Yeah. I read the last half of this at work. I was very happy it was a slow day and no one called as I got to the end. I might not have answered the phone. 2y
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Jody3
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

A fictional work based on the state-run Dozier School for Boys in Florida where boys were tortured and even murdered while the school remained open for more than 100 years. Brilliantly written and completely devastating. The novel ends with a nice twist.

Andrew65 A personal favourite and that ending! 😢 2y
18 likes1 comment
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Michellesibs
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

This is just over 200 pages but it's not really a quick read. It's very tense, disturbing and damn right horrifying and I had to put this book down many times to process what I had just read.
While this maybe a work of fiction, we can all recall the many stories in the media on these 'reform schools' in the last decade. The horrifying stories, the racism, the cover ups, the lack of any meaningful apology.
Excellent read.

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Rissa1
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

#WinterGames2021 #TeamGameSleighers Finished this TBR read tonight while these two snuggled on my lap (they just use me for my blanket). This book was sad knowing it was based on actual events. I have been donating a lot of books lately but this will be added to my shelf. #WrapItReadathon #WinterCosy #AVeryMerryReadathon #DashingDecember @StayCurious @keys_on_fire @TheSpineView @Andrew65

Andrew65 A wonderful book but hits home, and the shock at the end. Well done 👏👏👏 2y
TheSpineView Fantastic! 2y
keys_on_fire I hope to read something of his in 2022! 2y
21 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Rissa1
Nickel Boys | Colson Whitehead
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Celebration of light is one of our Traditions. This year was bigger than ever and perfect for kids in quarentine since there is no human contact. #WinterGames2021 #TeamGameSleighers @StayCurious

StayCurious wow this is so cool! 2y
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Rissa1
Nickel Boys | Colson Whitehead
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TheSpineView Excellant 🤩📖 2y
PuddleJumper Whooo 2y
keys_on_fire Ahhhh Christmas Vacation. One that I have yet to watch this year and MUST do before the 25th 😂 2y
StayCurious Great job! 2y
21 likes4 comments
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Rissa1
Nickel Boys | Colson Whitehead
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Rissa1
Nickel Boys | Colson Whitehead
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Nute
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

Pulled along by tiny dreadful images. Sucked into an uncomfortable wonder at the possibility of a horrific underlying truth. Dragged into a relentless and unblinking telling of a history…somewhat imagined and yet somehow wholly the truth. Thrown down the rabbit hole in search of facts. Another swig from the well of bitter waters. Another shadow in the mirror reflecting a venomous darkness.👇🏽

Nute Another voice filled with cries of injustices that humans inflict on one another. I tried to feel better at the end, but even that ‘revelation‘ wasn‘t enough to make the taste of it, the feel of it, the sight of it tolerable. The stories that take up residence within us, that we must one day tell all of our children shed tears enough to drown the whole planet. I would read it again if I thought that I could once again bear it to the end. (edited) 2y
CallMeIshmael This book shook me 2y
Brooke_H Whitehead is so fantastic at what he does 2y
See All 6 Comments
Nute @CallMeIshmael It did the same thing to me. It wrung out all of my emotions. I won‘t forget it! 2y
Nute @Brooke_H Agreed! He is a talented writer. Did you read this book? 2y
Brooke_H @Nute Yes, I just finished it a couple of weeks ago. Remarkable. 2y
106 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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Nute
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Reading for Book Club. I‘m always caught up in a less than 24-hour countdown every single month for book club. No matter how hard I try, no matter how determined I am to start the next book right after the conclusion of the last book, it never happens. It‘s a mad hustle in the end. &This month I think that I am the moderator.😳
Today…nothing, but reading! Too bad that I was up late last night watching scary movies & I‘m actually really sleepy!🥱😴

DivineDiana I understand completely! I have faith in you! 👍🏻📚👏🏻 2y
Nute @DivineDiana Thank you, Ms. Diana! I finished it today, no doubt, in part to your encouragement.🙂 2y
DivineDiana 👏🏻📚👍🏻 2y
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anniebannanie
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
Pickpick

Incredible writing

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BooksMcD
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

A fictional work based on the state-run Dozier School for Boys in Florida where boys were tortured and even murdered while the school remained open for more than 100 years.

I‘m still thinking about this book days after finishing it and nothing I could say about it will ever be enough. Brilliantly written and completely devastating. Add this to the pile of books that destroyed me emotionally.

TW: Racism, severe beating, sexual assault, rape

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IuliaC
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

One of the dark realities of the 20th century. Everywhere in the world authorities' failure against perpetrated abuses only increased criminality instead of fighting it and transformed potentially good and most of the times innocent citizens into unrecoverable lawbreakers. Some of the victims struggled to escape their bleak predetermined path and inspired others to do the same. The novel ends with a nice twist.

54 likes1 stack add
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BacklistReader
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Just checking in with how the readings going so far

#midwaypoint #halfwaythere

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alecia3dixie
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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5280reader
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

Pulitzer Prize winner for sure! Such an enormous book that I couldn‘t put down. So many injustices and atrocities that I just wanted to scream throughout. So artfully crafted telling the story primarily of two youths sent to a Florida ‘reform school‘ in the 60‘s. This will stay with me for a while.

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Amandajoy
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

Finished my #newyearwhodis #bookspin selection at work today. I was so glad no one called during the last chapter! Excellent read! Thus far I have not been disappointed with Mr. Whitehead‘s work. Now I have no idea what to read on shift tomorrow.

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3y
MallenNC I‘m glad you liked it! It‘s a tough subject but I really loved it. I still have some of your new year picks on my TBR. I‘ve been reading Braiding Sweetgrass but not wanting to rush it! It‘s so well written. 3y
Amandajoy @MallenNC Braiding Sweetgrass is definitely one to savor. 3y
60 likes3 comments
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Amandajoy
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Forgot to post! My #bookspin and #doublespin picks for June! 🪅

Amandajoy Just realized I put May as the month instead of June. 🤦🏼‍♀️ 3y
Moonprismpower By the Book podcast just lived by and reviewed the art of asking. 🙃🙂 3y
Amandajoy @Moonprismpower oh, I love that podcast! I‘ll check it out! 3y
TheAromaofBooks Yay!!! 3y
Lizpixie Amanda Palmer is my #girlcrush💗 3y
42 likes5 comments
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Bigwig
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

I had to digest this novel for a few weeks before reviewing it. Beautifully written and unbearably sad, it follows a Black boy‘s experiences after he is unjustly sent to a Florida reform “school” whose horrors unfold with gut-wrenching terror. Everyone should read this novel. To use a movie analogy, this was a story that had me sitting in the theater long after the credits rolled and the lights went off.

SamAnne There is a horrific news cycle story in Canada. Indigenous kids in both U.S. and Canada were forced to go to schools to basically best their culture out of them. First Nations just found 215 children‘s bodies on the site of one of the Catholic run schools in Interior B.C. Sexual and physical abuse was rampant. This book, of course, immediately came to mind. And the place was operating in to the early 70s. (edited) 3y
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TamTracy
The Nickel Boys: A Novel | Colson Whitehead
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Pickpick

This has been on my list to read for quite some time. I finally decided it was time and I‘m mad I waited so long. What a phenomenally written story about such an important topic! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️